Start The Year With Some Local Hip Hop

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 30, 2009 8:00PM

It's still a few weeks off, but on January 17 pencil in the 2nd annual Winter Block Party for Chicago’s Hip-Hop Arts. The event takes form as a line-up of free music, dancing, poetry and art and a $15 main-event to end the day. Throughout the afternoon, you can browse through a visual art and graffiti gallery with works-for-sale by local contemporary artists, enjoy spinning by DJs Itch13, Issues and Seanile and stop by the Hip-Hop Barbershop for a haircut or a fade.

The block party kicks off at 11 a.m. with a special screening of award-winning film P-Star Rising, followed by a Q&A and a performance from P-Star and local edutainment group Kuumba Lynx. The celebration continues with a special installment of "Word: Across the Generations" (2 p.m.), an open mic showcase. At 4 p.m., Waka of Chicago’s Legendary Brickheadz hosts a B-Boy/B-Girl battle, during which breakdancers show of their moves in a competition that will conclude the day’s free festivities. Then join us at 7:30 for the main event, “The New Style: Hip-Hop Aesthetics Across Genres.” It will be a presentation of collage, mash-ups and conversations focused on the transformation of hip-hop and the effect of cultural vanguards on its progression.

This block party was a huge success last year, and this year it promises to be a soulful and informative experience with a genre that maybe you’re less familiar with or never really took seriously as a cultural movement. Really, pull yourself out of bed and mosey on over. It’s going to be a relaxed yet enriching experience, perfect for starting off 2010 while recovering from a late night of drunken tomfoolery. And besides, who can pass up a performance by 15 year old female rapper, P-Star? Not us.

Winter Block Party for Chicago’s Hip-Hop Arts takes place on January 17 at Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N Lincoln , 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Free Until 6 p.m., $15 for Main Event, All Ages